This invention relates to an adaptor mountable to electronic equipment for receiving an optical fiber connector and, more particularly, to such an adaptor which provides shielding for electromagnetic radiation.
Modern electronic systems equipment, such as for telecommunications purposes, is often required to provide shielding against the leakage of electromagnetic radiation. It is known to provide such shielding by surrounding the electronic components by electrically conductive material. However, there are often gaps which cannot be covered by conductive material. For example, certain systems are connected to optical fibers. Such fibers are typically terminated by a plug connector which plugs into an adaptor mounting module extending through an opening in a conductive faceplate. The adaptor, the fiber and the plug connector are typically constructed of non-conductive material so that the opening in the faceplate is not shielded.
In the telecommunications industry, in recent years the electronic equipment has been designed to operate at higher and higher frequencies. It is known that a gap in a conductive cover of more than ten percent of the wavelength at the highest operating frequency of the electronic equipment is sufficient to allow unwanted electromagnetic radiation to leak therethrough. For equipment operating at ten gigahertz, this translates to a maximum allowable opening of no more than about 3 mm. The faceplate opening for an exemplary optical fiber adaptor of the type described is approximately 13 mm square. Accordingly, a need exists for a shielded optical fiber adaptor which provides a gap of no more than ten percent of the wavelength at the highest operating frequency of the electronic equipment.
The present invention provides a shielded optical fiber adaptor for mounting to a conductive faceplate of electronic equipment, with the faceplate having an opening for receiving the adaptor therethrough. The adaptor comprises an insulative body having an exterior surface conforming to the faceplate opening, exterior features for releasably retaining the body in the opening, and an interior channel for closely receiving an end of an optical fiber. The adaptor further comprises a layer of conductive material covering the insulative body. The aperture of the interior channel is no more than ten percent of the wavelength at the highest operating frequency of the electronic equipment.
In accordance with an aspect of this invention, the body includes an outwardly extending flange adjacent the conforming surface. The adaptor further comprises a conductive compliant gasket surrounding the conforming surface and in contact with the flange. Accordingly, when the body is retained in the faceplate opening, the gasket is compressed between the flange and the faceplate to maintain good electrical contact between the layer of conductive material and the faceplate.